Terraces are used primarily for leisure activity such as sitting, strolling, or resting. The term often applies to a raised area in front of a monumental building or structure, which is usually reached by a grand staircase and surrounded by a balustrade. A terrace may be supported by an embankment or solid foundation, either natural or man-made. Terraces may also be platforms, supported by columns but without the space below filled in, but terraces are always open to the sky and may or may not be paved.